Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and The Empire Strikes Back Sure Have a Lot in Common

Gawker Media

161 d ago

is one of the gold standards filmmakers aspire to when making a sequel. And though both Chris Pratt and Kevin Feige swear it was never mentioned during the making of , the films share a lot of similarities. of similarities.

Spoiler alert: Major spoilers follow for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

In a lot of ways, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 feels like familiar territory. We're back with the same old a-holes we met in the first film, listening to more classic rock tunes while they save the galaxy a second time.

But Vol. 2 differs from every other Marvel Cinematic Universe in one major way – and in doing so, raises the emotional stakes of the franchise as a whole.

SEE ALSO: 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' is Marvel at its most emotional

The third act of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 throws just about every character into the action, putting them all in danger as they battle Ego for the fate of the universe. While most of them ultimately come out clean, however, Yondu diesReally dies, like gets-cremated-and-has-his-ashes-scattered-into-space dies. Read more...

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Disney/Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" lived up to its high expectations with an estimated $145 million at the domestic box office over the weekend, according to Exhibitor Relations.

That puts the movie in 6th place on the all-time opening weekends for May . It's wedged between "Spider-Man 3" ($151.1 million) and "Iron Man 2" ($128.1 million).

This marks the 15th release by Marvel Studios. Every single one has gone to number one at the domestic box office its opening weekend.

Following a $56 million take on Friday (including $17 million in Thursday preview screenings), the movie then took in an impressive $51 million on Saturday. If you subtract the Thursday preview coin that's a 30% spike over the movie's take on Friday.

It's rare that a movie's Saturday has that kind of performance after a strong Friday, so word of mouth has certainly been strong. An 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes also doesn't hurt.

Then there's the unique fun the "Guardians" franchise has over its equally successful counterparts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 got the 2017 blockbuster season off to a terrific start with $145 million at the domestic box office this weekend, rocketing past the original's debut by 54% and grabbing the second-best bow of the year behind Beauty and the Beast ($174.7 million), according to estimates from Comscore.

SEE ALSO: How 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' raises the stakes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

The Fast & Furious franchise has been called the unofficial summer-season starter despite its traditional mid-April date, and The Fate of the Furious scored just under $100 million for its debut, the smaller part of its record worldwide debut . But for box-office purists putting a pin in the start of summer moviegoing season, it's gotta be May. Read more...

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Marvel Studios' "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," the sequel to the 2014 hit, brought in an estimated $145 million in the U.S. this weekend. That makes it Marvel's fifteenth straight No. 1 opening at the domestic box office. The studio has never had a movie not open on top.

Warning: There are massive spoilers ahead for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2."

Marvel has done it again.

Even against the seemingly unbeatable weight of some lofty expectations, " Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 " has gone on to become a major hit with critics and fans alike. The latest adventure of Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, and the rest has turned into a textbook example of a box office smash , and it represents another major stepping stone on the road to next year's "Infinity War."

Of course, now that we have actually seen "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," it's worth mentioning that we have some major questions. The film's story is incredibly tight, but it leaves a number of things extremely ambiguous. On that note, we have put together a list of questions that have been raised by the events of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," and we demand that they receive answers as soon as possible.

First and foremost, let's kick this off with a serious question about Michael Rooker's dearly departed Yondu.

1. Is Yondu gone forever?

Marvel

James Gunn deserves credit for several of the bold choices that he makes with "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," but the decision to kill Yondu is arguably the boldest. The fan-favorite Ravager went out like a real hero, and his funeral clearly showed the destruction of his body.

However, Michael Rooker is currently listed as a member of the "Infinity War" cast on IMDb , which raises huge questions about the future of Yondu in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Will the character somehow receive a miraculous resurrection, or will he appear in a flashback sequence? A major character death is relatively uncharted territory for Marvel, so we don't have much information to go by right now.

2. Are Star-Lord's celestial powers gone?

Disney/Marvel

Peter Quill's ability to survive holding an Infinity Stone served as a perfect cliffhanger at the end of the first "Guardians of the Galaxy," and the latest installment in the franchise paid off the tease of his celestial abilities in grand fashion.

However, one major question that we now have about the ending of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" is whether or not Star-Lord has retained any of the powers inherited from his father. The climax of the movie shows him no longer able to perform any of the same tricks used to defeat Ego in combat, but it's never fully explained whether or not he has completely lost these powers, or if they have simply gone dormant.

3. Where will Nebula go from here?

Disney/Marvel

Yondu wasn't the only personality who evolved into a fully fleshed out, three-dimensional character in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2." Gamora's robotic sister Nebula also received far more attention from James Gunn this time. We know that Nebula is now on the warpath in her mission to kill Thanos , but because the Guardians sequel only takes place three months after the events of the original film, we have no idea what she has been up to over the course of the last four years.

Nebula is clearly going to play a significant role in the conflict of "The Avengers: Infinity War," but we have very little understanding as to what that role could look like.

4. Is Mantis an official Guardian now?

Marvel

Among all of the new characters introduced during the events of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," Mantis easily stands out as the one with the most potential moving forward. Her defection from Ego has left her without a real home in the cosmos, and her connection to Drax seems to indicate a possible romantic entanglement at some point in the future of the franchise.

That said, "Guardians" does not make it entirely clear whether or not she has officially signed on as an official, full-time member of the team. Is she now a core Guardian of the Galaxy, or is she more of a ringer along the lines of Kraglin and Nebula?

5. What's next for the Ravagers?

Disney/Marvel

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" gives audiences a far more complex look at the inner workings of the Ravagers as a massive band of intergalactic outlaws and hints at some genuinely entertaining adventures in the near future. Most notably, the film ends with Sylvester Stallone's Stakar uniting an all-star band of Ravagers for a new mission to "steal some s---."

What's next for this group of sci-fi pirates? Are they now allies to the Guardians of the Galaxy? Will they be the bad guys in a future film? Will they possibly even receive a solo movie of their very own? All of these are viable narrative avenues, but as of right now it remains incredibly vague.

6. How is Earth reacting to the fallout from Ego's scheme?

Marvel

One of the most surprising aspects of the entire "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" story is the fact that we actually get to see portions of contemporary Earth when Ego's plan finally begins to come into focus. The seed he planted on Earth caused immense damage, and it's clear that this event did not go unnoticed by the townsfolk who almost died. That raises the question of how humanity will respond.

Will The Avengers be called in to investigate this occurrence? Does anybody on Earth even really understand what just happened? That's something we will need more clarification on when the Guardians make their way to Earth for "Infinity War."

7. How will Adam Warlock factor into the future of the franchise?

Marvel

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" features five credits scenes, but only one seems to have direct and specific implications over the narrative of the next film: the introduction of Adam Warlock . A creation of Ayesha in this incarnation of the Marvel universe, it seems that Adam will begin his Marvel Cinematic Universe tenure as an enemy of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

That said, where he will go from there remains a mystery to us. Adam is an iconic Marvel hero with significant ties to the "Infinity War" story arc, so it's clear that he's about to become a valuable player; we just need to know more about why he's important.

NOW WATCH: Why Chris Pratt is the most important asset for 'Guardians of the Galaxy'

Another weekend, another blockbuster Marvel opening at the box office. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the latest episode in the company's cosmic-mercenaries saga, predictably crushed the competition, grossing an estimated $425 million globally and perpetuating the studio's multiplex dominance. If you're looking for a secret to the company's success, we'll direct you to a 2014 comment

This article originally appeared on www.rollingstone.com: 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2': Why Marvel's Misfit-Filmmaker Gamble Works

Spoiler Warning: This article talks about the very first scene in the movie, so tread with caution!

Being a massive blockbuster sequel and a science-fiction film set in space, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 features a lot of CGI and special effects. When you've got a talking raccoon as a main character, that can't be helped, but surprisingly little to no CGI was used in a scene that involved Kurt Russell's character, Ego . Audiences are treated to a flashback in 1980 Missouri where Kurt Russell appears de-aged and about 30 years younger. Turns out, that effect was created with some good old fashioned make-up and not more advanced technology.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 opens up with a flashback showing a young, 1980-circa Ego out on a date with Star-Lord's future mother. It's actually Kurt Russell doing the scene and he looks like he walked straight off the set of Big Trouble in Little China . (You can hardly blame Ms. Quill for falling in love with an alien when he looks like a young Kurt Russell). It's easy to assume that Marvel Studios achieved this using modern technology, but Russell sat down with our own Eric Eisenberg and explained that most of what was in the film was real. According to Russell...

I have a terrific makeup guy, we've done 28 movies together. He did a lot of work makeup wise with some of his own tricks and it's about 90% that, they didn't do much [digitally]. It's amazing what he could do and what we could do with a wig...And then, you know you lighten your voice and you pick up your physicality and you play it, you play young.

Kurt Russell has been working with his own makeup man, Dennis Ledger, since Tango & Cash and 28 movies together later, the two of them are trying to make Russell look like he did when they first met. Russell admits that some things were digitally touched up, but most of it was just makeup. And it looks good! Marvel is sure a fan of face technology, having used it to make Michael Douglas look younger in Ant-Man and Hayley Atwell older in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. No shame in getting the digital facelift, but Marvel went for a more realistic look when it came to portraying a young man who was secretly a planet.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is written and directed by James Gunn , who once more takes the loveable cast of A-holes on a mission to save the galaxy. After a mission goes awry, the Guardians find themselves being hunted from all sides, when they meet Ego, who claims to be Star-Lord's real father. The film stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, and Kurt Russell.

You can experience a young Kurt Russell in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which is out in theaters right now and seems to be doing pretty well for itself. To learn more about the sequel, check out everything we know .

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The INSIDER Summary: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" is in theaters. In it is Baby Groot, voiced by Vin Diesel. One writer believes that Baby Groot is a lazy addition.

If Vulture can be said to have any official editorial position, it is that Baby Groot is cute and good. However, in the interest of airing multiple viewpoints on controversial issues, we have decided to give our own Jackson McHenry a platform to air his sincerely held — but wrong — belief that, actually, Baby Groot is bad.

" Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ," a movie about a group of unlikely space allies fighting space battles and trading space quips, features three separate sequences that revolve around a baby tree.

The tree in question is Groot, played by Vin Diesel, who delivers Groot's only dialogue — "I am Groot" — in every language . A giant talking tree in the first "Guardians" film, Groot has been reborn as a baby after sacrificing himself to save the rest of his team. He's cute in an empirical, calculated way, with Disney-like saucer eyes, lil' paw-like hands and feet, and like the rest of the team, an incongruous taste for '70s jams. He's too perfect. You can't hate Baby Groot, which is exactly why "Guardians" would be better off without him.

Somewhere around the second of three Baby Groot showcase scenes in "Guardians 2," it becomes pretty clear that Baby Groot is holding the film back. He's a Funko doll — no dimension whatsoever. Like a patient requesting more painkillers, the film cuts to Groot whenever it needs something cute. First the cuteness is endearing; then it's numbing; eventually it's just tedious.

In the "Guardians" opening credits, Baby Groot dances to ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky" while the rest of the heroes do battle with a gigantic space-slug in the background. It's a nice concept, just like it was in the "Buffy" episode "The Zeppo," and in case you were wondering, the tiny tree does have some moves. The other characters — Chris Pratt doing his best Harrison Ford; Zoe Saldana doing standard-issue space Saldana — occasionally butt in to save Groot from a tentacle or two.

This keeps up for the rest of the film. The Guardians get into trouble; Groot remains oblivious, but somehow scrapes through. In one scene, he retrieves a series of items, but not the specific item the other characters need, which is a great shtick you've seen in at least ten animated Disney movies. In the crucial showdown, Rocket Racoon gives Groot a bomb and tells him to press one button but not the other. Groot keeps trying to press the wrong button, but (spoiler alert) when it truly matters, he does what's right.

Often, and not just with Baby Groot, "Guardians 2" confuses the concept of a joke for an actual one. Pratt explains his will-they-or-won't-they relationship with Saldana with a "Cheers" joke. When given the possibility of creating anything in the universe, he imagines building a giant Pac-Man. The film's imagination is limited to gesturing at a collection of easily available references. (In case you were worried there wouldn't be something for middle schoolers to repeat in locker rooms, there is a joke about driving a spaceship with your penis.) To my mind, Baby Groot is the worst of it — a joke that consists of pointing at something you know is cute and saying, "You were right! That is cute!" That's not flattering, it's cynical.

Perhaps it's too much to ask for "Guardians 2," which basically just needs to ferry you from one big Marvel installment to the next, to aspire to something more than comfort. The film does what it does, and at this point, railing against the Marvel formula feels as pointless as complaining about the recipe for Starbucks Frappuccino. You might not love it, but who cares? Other people will order it, and for them, it'll do.

But to me, Baby Groot represents Marvel's worst instincts — the way its films tend toward the unicorn-flavored lowest common denominator. He's a tree. With big eyes, like a baby. The only salvation? The film's post-credits scene reveals a Groot who's grown up into a disgusting teenager. With any luck, the "Guardians" series has put away childish Groots for good.

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